Communications Best Practices | Advising CEOs & Boards

Presenter: Pamela Gilchrist, Chief Strategist, Gilchrist Group @PamGilchrist Execsense.com© ExecSense, Inc.

Slide 1

Communications Best Practices for Advising Your CEO & Board of

Directors

Sales 2.0

Author | Speaker Pam Gilchrist


Slide 2

• As chief strategist at the Gilchrist Group®, Pam Gilchrist is a Fortune 100 leadership and communications expert. She advises organizations on how to have more impact by focusing on breakthrough business strategies, leadership, brand identity and influencer engagement.

• She works with organizations during times of dramatic growth and change and is well-known for her go-to-market roadmaps and high impact communications proven to increase influencer engagement.

• Pam is a requested speaker for organizations and events across the country. She shares insider best practices on optimizing strategic outcomes, strengthening leadership and engaging stakeholders.

Connect With Pam At: http://www.gilchristgroup.comhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelagilchrist.comhttp://www.twitter.com/pamgilchristhttp://www.youtube.com/pamgilchrist

Pamela Gilchrist, MA, APR, CPT

Chief Strategist, Gilchrist Group Strategist | Speaker | Author

859-431-9090@pamgilchrist

[email protected]

About Your Webinar Speaker


Slide 3

1. CEOs are under fire:There is mounting pressure from all sides

2. Boards aren’t what they used to be. The changing nature of board and CEO relationships

3. Being a trusted advisor has never been easier – or harder. Communicators have unique challenges

Overview

Trusted Advisor


Slide 4

5 Areas Of Focus

1.What keeps your CEO up at night?It’s complicated

2.Who’s running the show? How the role of boards of directors is changing

3.Communicators: Leaders or Lemmings

4.What’s being a trusted advisor really all about?

5.Stop asking for a seat at the table. Stand up and lead!


Slide 5

What to Know #1 What keeps your CEO up at night?

It’s complicated• CEO Currency: Time | Money | Trust

• Short Tenure: (18-40 months) = Different priorities

• Every Company Is Different (No CEO school or on the job training)

• Strategy is more important than ever

• Increasing shareholder value

• Managing the board

• Adverse legislation

• Activists, business interruptions, scandals

• Dirty deals

• Staying a step ahead


Slide 6

What to Know #1 What keeps your CEO up at night?Things They Know They Should Focus On

• Fear of failure!• Clarity of vision and values • Talent management• Communication• Staying on top of the business,

not just working in the business• Board and Leadership Team management• Strategy and direction

When surveyed, only 5% of employees of major companies – 5%! – said they knew what the company’s overriding strategy was.


Slide 7

Why CEOs FailSource: Fortune Magazine

1. People Problems

2. Decision Gridlock

3. Lifer Syndrome

4. Bad Earnings News (the most frequent problem)

5. Missing in Action

6. Off-the-Deep-End Financials

Some CEOs are just

egomaniacal, vain, nervous,

conflict-avoiding cowards acting as alpha dogs to

avoid being found-out. Some

are in a popularity

contest, while others are

narcissistic or obsessive

compulsiveKEY:

Understand what and why


Slide 8

To create superior shareholder returns 60%, industry leadership 57%, customer

focus 53%, profitability 44%, best management 33%, best place to work 30%, best talent 25%, most innovative

23%, most admired 19%.

What to Know #1 What keeps your CEO up at night?Things They Know They Should Focus On

His mantra: Set a platform for the future. Ensure credibility. Slightly under promise.


Slide 9

What to Know #1 What Does Your CEO DO All Day?

Decision making: 5%

Articulating: 40%

Coaching/teaching/motivating:

40%

Forecasting (guessing): 5%

Admiration building (they like me):

6%

Reputation repair (they trust me):

1%

Restating, reemphasizing, reinterpreting:

20%

117

%*


Slide 10 What to Know #2

Who’s Running the Show? The Role of Boards is Changing

• Boards of Directors, inside and outside, are the CEO's only regular source of access to peers.

• 60% of all boards are CEOs

• Two of the most important responsibilities a CEO has are to manage his/her Leadership Team and Board of Directors.

• In both cases, CEOs should be actively involved in vetting and selecting these key people.



The Impact of Dodd-Frank on Corporate Boards of Directors

•Financial reform

•Hundreds of rules required implementation and dominate the agenda

•Proxy access: 3%+ voting stock/3 years, to nominate director candidates, up to 25% of director seats.

•No brokers voting shares for director elections

•SEC Whistleblower program



The Impact of Dodd-Frank(Continued)

•Disclosure Of Leadership Structure (CEO/Chairman)

•Affects CEO succession planning and strategy•Companies must use a clear and transparent process

•Executive Compensation “Say on pay”

•Includes: say on frequency, say on golden parachutes at least once every three years and that companies are required to hold a “say-when-on-pay” vote at least once every six years to allow shareholders to decide how often they would like to be presented with the say-on-pay vote.



What CEOs want most from their Boards

• Active interest, insights, oversight and advice

• Hands off the day to day running of the company

• What CEOs want most from their Leadership Teams:

• Intellectual integrity

• Healthy debate

• Commitment and loyalty to the final decision made after a healthy debate

• Commitment to the team and company’s success


Slide 14

What to Know #3Communicators: Leaders or

Lemmings?Strategists like to work with other strategists.

How strategic are you?• Assume a much more aggressive and have helpful

management perspective on the business? • Adapt to these new, more urgent, time sensitive executive

management demands? • Understand CEO goals and potential short tenure is key to

developing communication strategies that achieve their objectives.

• Apply skills in communication planning, messaging and execution, you will help the organization achieve its imperatives and cement your position as a trusted adviser.

• The environment in which we operate provides its own set of tensions – speed, diversity, customization, access

• Effective interpersonal communication with CEOs is a crucial skill set for today's executive communication advisor



Tips on Advising LeadersAs a leader, or communication advisor to a leader,

ask yourself these questions about stakeholder communication:

1. Is my face to face, electronic and print communication effective?

2. Do my stakeholders perceive me as credible?

3. How do I stay in the credibility zone?

Trusted Advisor


Slide 16

What to Know #3 Great Advisors Apply Rogen's "4Cs"

1. Context. Manage expectations up front so that your audience is tuned to what you are going to say and not left frustrated about what you didn't say. "What's In It For Me?" reason to pay attention.

2. Clarity. Tune messages to the audience's needs and issues. Make messages persuasive or compelling. Draw on the benefits, consequences and evidence that are relevant to each stakeholder. Answer: Why now?

3. Congruence. What you see and experience can be more important than what you read or hear. Tone and nonverbal elements of delivery must match the intent of your messages. Are you bring words to life or suffocating them?

4. Channel: Is goal to inform, to engage or to persuade? What are the communication preferences of my audience?



What’s Being a Trusted Advisor Really All About?

The role of an advisor is earned not assigned.

• So what can you do to earn it?

1. Preparation2. Experience3. Exposure4. Reputation

• Refinement of Character

Qualities Of Strategic Advisors

Steadiness

Consistency of character

Authenticity

Ability to mask opinions and control emotionsPatience

Steadfastness

Balance


Slide 18

What to Know #5Stop Asking for a Seat at the

Table. Stand Up and Lead!

• Boring topic

• Leaders don’t ask permission – they lead

• Put on your big boy/girl underwear

• If you add value – you will be included

• Know what matters

• Take action and assert yourself

• Be accountable


Slide 19

What to Know #5Stop Asking for a Seat at the

Table. Stand Up and Lead!

• Are you a 24/7 person? (Are you available and will you help on a 24/7 basis?)

• Make sure the key plans and programs really are in the interest and timeframe of current top management

• Help the CEO achieve his/her objectives and goals -- now

• Help the organization achieve its overall goals

• Links shorter-term goals and programs with enduring goals and programs


Slide 20

5 Strategies That Work

1. Learn The Language Of The Tribe

2. Be A Strategic Leader

3. Add Value Always

4. Get A Personal Brand

5. Shout Your Success


Slide 21

Strategy #1Learn the Language of the Tribe

If you want people to listen, you need to speak their language.

• Demonstrate your interest in an audience and its issues

• Know the business, the language of business and the metrics for success

• Understand the power structure, unique customs and agendas

• Set the right context, having compelling messages, being congruent in words and actions and delivering the messages using the right mix of channels

• Understand stakeholder perceptions


Slide 22 Strategy #2

Be a Strategic Leader• Are you perceived as leader or technical expert? Enhance your credibility as a leader with leadership

• Be a joy to be around

• Be above reproach

• Be a good steward

• Be able to keep a secret

• Be a rock

• Be free of negativity

• Be able to see the big picture

• Be comfortable letting others run the play

• Be passionate

• Be wise

• Be confident



Add Value Always• Be a listening post

• Provide valuable intelligence

• Know the numbers

• Know how to de-tune intensity

• Use common sense

• Ask yourself: “What will this conversation be one year from now?”

• Understand agendas and personal behavior drivers – everybody’s got them

• Is it nice or necessary

• Avoid tyranny of the urgent

• Focus on the critical few not the endless many

• Ask: “How can I add value today that will matter tomorrow”



Get a Personal Brand Your personal brand enhances/inhibits your credibility

with senior leaders

What is your “Executive Presence”

How do others perceive you?

• You are the message! Roger Ailes

• Do you manage the message or the meaning?

• Are you a forethought or afterthought?

Constantly manage, and if necessary, change your personal brand


Slide 25

Strategy #5 Shout It Out -- Appropriately

• Stand on the table and shout!

• Evidence of success

• Outcome based

• Results focused

• Share strategically

• Quarterly reports

• What’s next


Slide 26

Extra Insight:

• Trust is the foundation of all relationships

• Character matters with persons of influence

• Connect and build positive relationships

• Model the vision and values of your company

• Listen to understand and engage, not just hear

• Tune radar to the WII-FM CEO channel 24/7

• Know that values drive decisions and decisions drive behavior


Slide 27 Extra Insight: Become Emotionally Intelligent

• Emotional intelligence is the hidden factor in relationships and communication

• Emotions influence the way you relate and react to others — often without your awareness

• Strong relationships are based on emotional intelligence

• Mastering the tools of emotional intelligence

• Nonverbal communication speaks louder than words


Slide 28

Emotional awareness helps you:

• Understand other people

• Understand yourself, including your deep-rooted needs

• Get motivated and take action to achieve goals

• Communicate clearly and effectively

• Attract and influence others


Slide 29

Insight: How To Improve Relationships In Under A Minute

• Stop, look and listen

• Listing Posts (listen, watch, learn)

• Look at situations through the other person’s eyes

• Ask pertinent questions (sales cycle, support, customer pain, etc.)

• Set ego and expertise aside to collaborate for best-practice

solutions that drive revenue and build success


Slide 30 Case Study 1:

3 CEOs In Less Than 5 Years

1. Different personalities/agendas

2. Trust Issues

3. Politics

4. Survival of fittest for communications advisors


Slide 31 Case Study 2:

It’s All About The Money – My Money• The problem with Golden Parachutes

• Short-tenure

• Lack of commitment

• Only lackey’s and lemmings need apply to be communications “advisors”

• The truth just gets in the way


Slide 32

Is Your Alliance To The CEO or The Board?

• 50/50 shot of being right – or wrong

• Read the tea-leaves

• CEOs think they trump the board

• Board trumps CEO

• The wrong alliance is a “career limiting move”

Case Study 3:


Slide 33

5 Top Secrets To Success

1.Likeable

2.Believable

3.Credible

4.Expert

5.Trusted


Slide 34

FAQs Q1: How do I get access to the CEO?A: Come early, stay late, add value

Q2: How do I know what’s going on with the board?A: Your advisors, other executives, CEO’s assistant

Q3: How best can I add value

A: Align every communications with business outcomes or strategy

Q4: How do I develop my personal brand?A: Create your own strategic plan, or work with an executive coach

Q5: How best do I keep up with industry and business trends?A: Read, read, read...

Q6: How do I balance everything? A: Nimble, multi-tasking, prioritizing

Q7: What happens if I lose my credibility?A: You may, or may not be able to recover. Always have a resume ready.

Q8: Where can I go for help?A: You need trusted advisors as well. Independent consultants and small firms work best.


Slide 35 Key Take-Aways1.Know what keeps your CEO up at night:

It’s complicated

2.Understand how the role of boards of directors is changing

3.Be a strategic leader

4.Earn trust and respect by adding value always

5.Stand up and lead!


Slide 36 Q&A SESSION

What Questions Do You Have?


Slide 37

Communications Best Practices for Advising Your CEO & Board of

Directors

Sales 2.0

Author | Speaker Pam Gilchrist


Slide 38

• As chief strategist at the Gilchrist Group®, Pam Gilchrist is a Fortune 100 leadership and communications expert. She advises organizations on how to have more impact by focusing on breakthrough business strategies, leadership, brand identity and influencer engagement.

• She works with organizations during times of dramatic growth and change and is well-known for her go-to-market roadmaps and high impact communications proven to increase influencer engagement.

• Pam is a requested speaker for organizations and events across the country. She shares insider best practices on optimizing strategic outcomes, strengthening leadership and engaging stakeholders.

Connect With Pam At: http://www.gilchristgroup.comhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelagilchrist.comhttp://www.twitter.com/pamgilchristhttp://www.youtube.com/pamgilchrist

Pamela Gilchrist, MA, APR, CPT

Chief Strategist, Gilchrist Group Strategist | Speaker | Author

859-431-9090@pamgilchrist

[email protected]

About Your Webinar Speaker

Business

Communications Best Practices | Advising CEOs & Boards